The 7 Best Coffee Shops In Kansas City

You won’t have to look too hard for the best coffee in Kansas City – coffee shops have popped up all over KC in recent years, creating a coffee culture that’s just as iconic as the city’s jazz and barbecue.

From independent roasters to roofdeck coffee stores, the Third Wave coffee movement is strong here, which is great news for both locals and visitors. So you don’t have to lift a little finger – apart from grabbing your coffee cup, that is – we’ve rounded up the must-visit cafes across town.

Their mission? “To freak out your morning cup.” What this means is that Oddly Correct aim to break people out of their rut and engage them with quality coffee.

We can safely say it’s working, as it’s a hotspot for people all over the city. The coffee changes regularly, with three blends to choose from each week and they also have house-made biscuits and breakfast sandwiches. Keep an eye out for DJs spinning tunes some mornings…

A classic destination coffee location, it doubles up as as a café and roasting company, so you can see the roasting process firsthand before deciding on your drink of choice. Visit their store on Washington Street to nosy around the roasting area at the back. Then, get a drink and buy a bag of fresh roasted coffee from the barista up front.

The beautiful multi-story space includes a café and Ibis Bakery, roastery and a roof deck with sweeping views of Liberty Memorial and Midtown Kansas City. Order classic espresso drinks, manual brews, seasonal house-made specials, or a perfect cup of drip with a fresh pastry. Drink it up on the roof terrace for pure perfection.

This espresso-centric slow bar grinds and brews your coffee upon ordering, so every single cup is incredibly fresh and delicious. As well as tasty breakfast burritos (and Mexican Coca-Cola!), they make their own syrups and almond milk.

Order the El Diablo summer special for a real kick. It’s made with red pepper flakes, mango, lime, Ethiopia Espresso and sparkling water.

Located in Kansas City suburb Lee’s Summit, this coffee store is a great little retreat from the buzz of the city, with fabulous coffee to boot. They keep things simple on the menu – think batch brew, pour-over, iced and espresso drinks – but also do a seasonal latte. Their coffee menu perfectly shows off the flavour of the beans roasted on site.

This is a true original of Kansas City’s coffee scene since opening in 1993. Roasterie uses air-roasting equipment to roast all of their single origin beans, locking in the rich flavour all year round. With several locations across the city, you can’t miss this place.

They’re also on hand to help improve your at-home brewing by recommending equipment and giving you the best tips for how to use it.

Filling Station Coffee has four KC locations: Midtown, Crown Center, Westport, and Overland Park. Each place has its own unique vibe to switch it up. It’s from the same owners of Messenger Coffee, so you can expect the same top-class brews and droolworthy pastries from Ibis Bakery.

Their breakfast menu is particularly good, with sandwiches and smoothie bowls galore.

Sarah Clayton-Lea

Co-founder of Big 7 Travel, Sarah created the company through her passion for championing the world's best food and travel experiences. Before her career in digital media, where she previously held roles such as Editor of Food&Wine Ireland, Sarah worked in the hospitality industry in Dublin and New York.

I like making breakfast with my kids. I tend to be a bit of a control freak in the kitchen, though. I often find it best to point them in the right direction, then move to another room of the house until they need help witg something.